PEROPTAM – Perovskite-organic tandem solar cell

For a large-scale application of photovoltaics as a renewable energy source, the power conversion efficiency of solar cells is very crucial. As several technologies approaching their efficiency limit, the development of tandem solar cells moves into the focus of research and development. In the framework of the project PEROPTAM a novel approach to build a tandem photovoltaic device is investigated. A perovskite solar cell with a wide band-gap is combined with a semi-transparent organic solar cell to form a monolithically interconnected structure. The approach offers several advantages. Bifacial solar cells which cover incoming radiation on the front and back side of the device can be realized. In addition, the approach allows the fabrication of several different layer stacks with high power conversion efficiencies and the application of various different semiconductor materials. In a first step the semi-transparent organic solar cell and the perovskite solar cell are optimized independently. An optical model is created to guide this optimization process. In a second step a tandem solar cell with a power conversion efficiency >20 % will be developed and characterized in detail. The project will also deliver efficient semi-transparent organic solar cells and bifacial tandem devices which could be of particular interest for application used in areas with high albedo.

Concept of a semi-transparent organic solar cell and EELS maps of the active layer showing donor/acceptor separation

This project is carried out in collaboration with the Linz Institute of Organic Solar Cells (LIOS) at JKU Linz and the Institute of Chemistry and Technology of Materials (ICTM) at the TU Graz. PEROPTAM is funded by the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG).